About KIRE Group
KIRE Group acquires, designs, builds, and operates workforce housing across San Diego County, one team accountable for how every project performs. We run on three principles in a deliberate order: Integrity, Results, Relationships. Integrity earns trust, results keep it, and lasting relationships are what we build with both.
The Meaning Behind KIRE
Founded in 2012 by Kenneth Baumgartner, Joshua Santa, and Adam Hutchinson, KIRE was built on more than a vision for real estate. Its name carries a deeply personal meaning. KIRE is Erik spelled backwards, honoring Ken’s son, Erik Baumgartner, who was tragically taken at a young age. Ken had always dreamed of building a father-son real estate business in San Diego, and KIRE became a way to carry that dream forward while keeping Erik’s legacy at the heart of the company.Â
Build for residents
We focus on durable, functional homes for the people who keep San Diego running.
Own the work
We are responsible for the outcome, not just our part of the process.
Underwrite the downside
We assume things go wrong and price risk accordingly.
How We Think
How We Got Here
Since its founding in 2012, KIRE has completed the construction and development of residential units across multifamily apartment communities, single-family tract homes, condominiums, and townhomes.
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KIRE brings a hands-on approach to real estate ownership, development, property management, and asset management. Our systematic approach, local expertise, extensive relationships, and vertically integrated process allow us to identify and create substantial value for the communities and partners we serve.
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With more than 150 years of combined experience, our leadership team strives to create long-lasting value for our clients, investors, and partners. We are committed to the communities in which we invest and possess an authentic desire to provide attainable housing.
Our Team
The leadership team responsible for every project we deliver.
PRINCIPAL | CEO
Joshua Santa
PRINCIPAL | COO
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Sets KIRE’s strategic direction and leads development, construction, and company growth.
Adam Hutchinson
KIRE’s integrator and lead deal maker, driving company operations, transaction execution, and cross-platform alignment.
Stephan Gaspar
INVESTMENT MANAGER
Leads sites through entitlement, design, permitting, construction, and delivery.
Ryan Bickford
Leads capital formation, investor relations, and asset management.
Our Advisors
Steven Doyle
Former Brookfield Homes president who oversaw 6,000+ homes; licensed attorney and civil engineer.
Bridging decades of experience with local execution to ensure results.
Strategic Oversight — Managing risk through institutional-level experience.
Local Expertise — Deep roots in San Diego construction and law.
Legacy Alignment — Carrying forward Ken Baumgartner's vision.
Bonnie Baumgartner
Carries forward the legacy of her late husband, KIRE co-founder Kenneth Baumgartner.
Mark Finch
Leads a Southern California specialty contractor in metal framing, drywall, plaster, and insulation.
Scott Peterson
Nearly 25 years in CBRE debt and structured finance; $20B+ in capital raised nationwide.
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Results
Deliver durable assets and operate them with discipline, so the work holds up over time.
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Relationships
Prioritize long-term success for our partners, residents, and the neighborhoods we serve.
IRR
Integrity. Results. Relationships.
our company principles
1
Integrity
Do exactly what we say we will do and underwrite the downside on every project.
Where We Build
We build in infill submarkets across San Diego County, such as National City, Logan Heights, and Escondido. These are places already served by transit, jobs, and schools, where demand is strong and new supply is limited.
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The gap we build into is structural. Subsidized affordable housing serves the lowest incomes. New luxury product serves the highest. The people in between, the ones who keep San Diego running, are left with aging stock and few options.Â
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We have been building in National City since 2014, and we still operate what we built there. Staying in the same neighborhoods project after project is how we learn a submarket well enough to underwrite it, and how we stay accountable for what we put up.